Voice/data-formatted telephone information storage and retrieval system

Abstract

A synthesized message storage and retrieval generates response messages by concatentating a sequence of words that have been recorded in digital memory in the voice of the operator in accordance with prescribed inflection characteristics. By linking together phrases or words having selectively chosen inflections in the voice of the operator, the resulting vocalized message will more naturally simulate the manner of speech of the operator and thereby provide a more realistic verbalization of the message to the customer. In accordance with the communications functionality of the operator's voice message assembly mechanism, the system performs a plurality of tasks for the operator, including automatically answering all incoming calls with a prerecorded phrase dependent on the type of call being serviced and, by means of an auxiliary audio interface with the call director, the output message can be delivered to the customer whether or not the operator is connected to the call. In addition, rather than audibly vocalizing the message out to the calling subscriber, when retrieved from memory the contents of the message are transmitted in digital format, so that they may be captured and visually indicated to the customer via a digital display provided in the calling subscriber' s telephone equipment.

What is claimed: 
     
       1. For use with an operator-assisted telephone service facility having an operator terminal through the operation of which an on-line operator services incoming calls that are coupled to said facility by way of a switch device to which a telephone link, over which an incoming caller communicates with said facility, is connected, said operator terminal being coupled to said switch device by way of a communications link therebetween, and wherein on-line participation by an on-line operator is required for effectively enabling an incoming caller to reach a called destination, an arrangement for providing a response message to said incoming caller accessing said facility comprising: first operational means for storing a plurality of message components of which a response message may be comprised, in a form such that, when played back and transmitted to said incoming caller in a synthetically vocalized audio format, said response message effectively corresponds to the voice of said operator who is on-line with and services an incoming call from said incoming caller; and   second operational means, coupled to said first operational means and operable in conjunction with the on-line operator's release of the servicing of said incoming call, for accessing from said first operational means selected ones of said plurality of message components and causing said selected message components to be assembled and transmitted over said telephone link as a synthetically vocalized audio response message to said incoming caller in the voice of said on-line operator who has released from the servicing of said incoming call, so that it appears to said incoming caller that the released operator is still on-line with and vocalizing said response message to said incoming caller.   
     
     
       2. An arrangement according to claim 1, wherein said second operational means further comprises means for controllably causing said response message to be transmitted to said incoming caller in a digital communications format, whereby said response message may be captured and displayed to said incoming caller by way of a digital communications device provided at the position from which said incoming caller accesses said facility. 
     
     
       3. For use with an operator-assisted telephone service facility having an operator terminal through the operation of which an on-line operator services incoming calls that are coupled to said facility by way of a switch device to which an telephone link, over which an incoming caller communicates with said facility, is connected, said operator terminal being coupled to said switch device by way of a communications link therebetween, and wherein on-line participation by an on-line operator is required for effectively enabling an incoming caller to reach a called destination, an arrangement for providing a response message to said incoming caller accessing said facility comprising: first operational means for storing a plurality of message components of which a response message may be comprised; and   second operational means, coupled to said first operational means and operable in conjunction with the on-line operator's servicing of an incoming call, for accessing from said first operational means selected ones of said plurality of message components and causing said selected message components to be assembled and transmitted over said telephone link as a response message to said incoming caller in a selected one of a plurality of different communication formats by way of which said response message is capable of being transmitted to said incoming caller, said second operational means including means for selectively causing said response message to be coupled to said communications link and thereby through said switch device to said telephone link for transmission to said incoming caller, and directly to said switch device, exclusive of said communications link, for transmission therefrom over said telephone link to said incoming caller.   
     
     
       4. An arrangement according to claim 3, wherein said second operational means comprises means for selectively causing said response message to be coupled in digital communications format directly to said switch device, exclusive of said communications link, for transmission therefrom to said incoming caller over said telephone link, whereby said response message may be captured and displayed to said incoming caller by way of a digital communications device provided at the position from which said incoming caller accesses said facility. 
     
     
       5. An arrangement according to claim 4, wherein said communications link includes a digital communications link portion by way of which digital communication signals are transmitted between said operator terminal and said switch device, and an audio link portion by way of which voice communications between said operator and said incoming caller, via said switch device, are effected, and wherein said second operational means includes means for causing message components accessed from said first operational means to be coupled therefrom to said audio link portion of said communications link for application to said switch device and transmission therefrom over said telephone link as an audio response message to said incoming caller vocalized in the voice of the operator who is on-line with and servicing an incoming call. 
     
     
       6. For use with an operator-assisted telephone service facility having an operator terminal through the operation of which an on-line operator services incoming calls that are coupled to said facility by way of a switch device to which a telephone link, over which an incoming caller communicates with said facility, is connected, said operator terminal being coupled to said switch device by way of a communications link therebetween, and wherein on-line participation by an on-line operator is required for effectively enabling an incoming caller to reach a called destination, a method for providing a response message to said incoming caller accessing said facility comprising the steps of: (a) storing, in a storage device, a plurality of message components of which a response message may be comprised, in a form such that, when played back and transmitted to said incoming caller in a synthetically vocalized audio format, said response message effectively corresponds to the voice of the operator who is on-line with and services incoming calls; and   (a) accessing, from said storage device, in the course of the on-line operator's release of the servicing of said incoming call, selected ones of said plurality of message components and causing said selected message components to be assembled and transmitted over said telephone link as a synthetically vocalized audio response message to said incoming caller in the voice of said on-line operator who has released from the servicing of said incoming call, so that it appears to said incoming caller that the released operator is still on-line with and vocalizing said response message to said incoming caller.   
     
     
       7. An arrangement according to claim 6, further comprising the step of (c) causing said response message to be transmitted to said incoming caller in a digital communications format, whereby said response message may be captured and displayed to said incoming caller by way of a digital communications device provided at the position from which said incoming caller accesses said facility. 
     
     
       8. For use with an operator-assisted telephone service facility having an operator terminal through the operation of which an on-line operator services incoming calls that are coupled to said facility by way of a switch device to which a telephone link, over which an incoming caller communicates with said facility, is connected, said operator terminal being coupled to said switch device by way of a communications link therebetween, and wherein on-line participation by an on-line operator is required for effectively enabling an incoming caller to reach a called destination, a method for providing a response message to said incoming caller accessing said facility comprising the steps of: (a) storing, in a storage device, a plurality of message components of which a response message may be comprised; and   (b) accessing from said storage device, in the course of the on-line operator's servicing of an incoming call, selected ones of said plurality of message components and causing said selected message components to be assembled and transmitted over said telephone link as a response message to said incoming caller in a selected one of a plurality of different communication formats by way of which said response message is capable of being transmitted to said incoming caller, step (b) including the step of selectively causing said response message to be coupled to said communications link and thereby through said switch device to said telephone link for transmission to said incoming caller, and directly to said switch device, exclusive of said communications link, for transmission therefrom over said telephone link to said incoming caller.   
     
     
       9. A method according to claim 8, wherein step (b) comprises the step of selectively causing said response message to be coupled in digital communications format directly to said switch device, exclusive of said communications link, for transmission therefrom to said incoming caller over said telephone link, whereby said response message may be captured and displayed to said incoming caller by way of a digital communications device provided at the position from which said incoming caller accesses said facility. 
     
     
       10. A method according to claim 9, wherein said communications link includes a digital communications link portion by way of which digital communication signals are transmitted between said operator terminal and said switch device, and an audio link portion by way of which voice communications between said operator and said incoming caller, via said switch device, are effected, and wherein said step (b) includes the step of causing message components accessed from said first operational means to be coupled therefrom to said audio link portion of said communications link for application to said switch device and transmission therefrom over said telephone link as an audio response message to said incoming caller vocalized in the voice of the operator who is on-line with and servicing an incoming call.